Shabbath HaChodesh

Shabbat HaChodesh / שבת החדש

Shabbat HaChodesh ("Sabbath of the month" שבת החודש) precedes the first of the Hebrew month of Nisan during which Passover is celebrated. 

On the first day of Nissan, G.d presented the first commandment of how to "sanctify the new moon" (kiddush hachodesh) for the onset of Rosh Chodesh and thus Nissan becomes the first month of the Jewish year (counting by months.).

What if you want to prepare for Pesach properly through Torah study and prayer, but instead find that you need to be busy with cleaning and shopping?
Of course, you should try to grab time for Torah study in middle of everything you’re busy with, and to be firm to daven at set times with a minyan.
But don’t become overwhelmed by all the obstacles that you have to endure. They are there for a purpose, and they are actually the only reason why you’re here in this world.
This can be understood with the analogy of a watch. In a watch, there is a spring which is bent backwards and naturally tries breaking free to jump forward, but is held back by the gears. The gears only allow the spring to be released forward bit by bit at the pace of seconds and minutes. If we would allow the spring the freedom to bounce forward straight away, the watch wouldn’t be able to keep time. Many machines are made in this fashion, by taking two opposing forces and creating a harmony between them.

be of blessed memoty little Miriam

“Say at the Holy Temple I brought first fruits to Jerusalem.
That I brought the best of my children as a sacrifice to G-d”.

 Miriam Monsonego’s mother

The brutal, monstruos killer is dead

B'H" that monster has been killed.

Jewishness. Unity.

Madrid

Jerusalem

Parashah Vayikra

Art by Maggidah Shoshannah Brombacher, Ph.D.

This seems to be a midrash about converts to Judaism, and indeed it has an important message in that matter. I believe we can also take this to a deeper level about spirituality in general. I’ll address both after the midrash; for now, listen:

R. Abbahu opened his discourse with the text, They shall return, dwelling under his shadow (Hosea 14:8). These, he said, are the converts who come and take shelter under the shadow of the Holy One, blessed be He. They shall make corn grow (ib.) means, they become the root just like Israel, even as thou sayest, Corn shall make the young men flourish, and wine the maids (Zech. 9:17). And they shall blossom as the vine (Hosea loc. cit.), even as thou sayest, Thou didst pluck up a vine out of Egypt; Thou didst drive out the nations, and didst plant it (Ps. 80:9).
Another interpretation: They shall make corn grow (Hosea loc. cit.) speaks of Talmud, And they shall blossom as the vine speaks of Aggadah and Halachah (laws). The mention of shall be as the wine of Lebanon suggests: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: ‘The names of converts are as pleasing to Me as the wine of libation which is offered to Me on the altar.’

Midrash Rabbah – Leviticus I:2

Converts to Judaism know a special challenge: having been drawn to this ancient religion, they know the privilege and honor of joining this people. And yet there are many born Jews who have a difficult time accepting the convert, as this midrash alludes. Why else would we need a teaching about how valuable converts are, especially since proselytizing is actively discouraged! This is only one of many instances in midrash, Talmud and halachah (Jewish law) in which the matter of converts is addressed. Indeed, it is forbidden by numerous laws to identify a convert as such, or even speak of their pre-Jewish days!

Chief Rabbi Amar: We Cry but Are Strong

Chief Rabbi Amar: We Cry but Are Strong - 

Jewish World - News - Israel National News

Of blessed memory...

Baruch Dayan Emet....This young Rabbi sent to France from Israel to strengthen the Jewish community, killed yesterday, along with his two children and the daughter of the school's Headmaster. 

May Hashem avenge their murder, and may their memories be a blessing

We can only  imagine the pain of the mother, let's all be with her.

four beautiful Jewish neshamot are now in Shamayim,

Toulouse victims to be buried in Israel

Foreign Ministry officials on Monday said the Israeli consulate in Marseille is handling arrangements for the four victims of the Toulouse shooting to be returned home for burial.

"After the appalling murders in Toulouse, the Israeli Embassy in Paris, as well as the Israeli Consulate in Marseille, have contacted the bereaved families and learned of their desire to bring their loved ones to Israel for burial," a statement said.

"The Government of Israel has therefore decided to transfer the coffins to Israel as soon as possible, with the cooperation and assistance of Israel's representatives in France and in coordination with the French authorities," it continued.

It concluded, "The names of the victims are: Rabbi Jonathan Sandler, Gabriel Sandler (age 4), Arieh Sandler (age 5), Miriam Monsonego (age 7)." 

Monday morning at or around 08:00 hours a motorcycle-riding gunman gunned down the four Jews outside the Otzar HaTorah day school.

The attack was the third such attack in recent days, but the first to target France's Jewish community. Previous attacks targeted French paratroopers in southern France.

French prosecutors – who decried Monday's attack as "savagery" – say it is too soon to classify the murders as hate crimes or terrorism, adding they are concerned the mass murders are the work of a "serial killer."

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday vowed to aid French authorities in bringing the perpetrator to justice.

"I promise that the Israeli government will aid the French government in this task," Netanyahu said. "We would do it anyway, some of the victims were also Israeli citizens."

source

Baruch Dayan Emet!

Rabbi Jonathan Sandler (age 30)

Gavriel Sandler (age 4)

Aryeh Sandler (age 5)

Miriam Monsonego (age 7)

Rabbi Sandler of Kiryat Yovel in Jerusalem and his sons Aryeh, 6, and Gavriel, 3.5, were murdered in Toulouse Monday morning, as was 8 year-old Miriam Monsonegro, daughter of the director of Ozar HaTorah Toulouse, Yaacov Monsonego

May Hashem avenge their blood.

Shir lama`alot. Esa einai el heharim:  me'ayin yavo ezri? 

Ezri me'im A-onai/hashem ose shamaim va'aretz. 

Al yiten lamot ragleicha  al yanum shom'recha. 

Hineh, lo yanum velo yishan shomer Yisrael. 

a little bit of music...

Shtar - Nagila

Will Hashem forgive this...?

Will Hashem forgive this done by Jews to other Jews, to Erezt Yisrael?

Would not this be sin of Hillul Hashem?

This is the 4 minute video of Netzer Hazani that spread around the world and was the inspiration for producing Home Game the movie. 

This clip documents the emotions and scenes of the last hours of the village, located in Gush Katif/Gaza Strip, as part of Israel's disengagement from Gaza, summer 2005. 

Israeli society paid a heavy, heavy price in striving to make peace by uprooting 21 Jewish communities in Gaza and those people continue to pay a heavy price today.
Watch this video to see some of the special Jews of Gaza who gave up their homes so that Gaza could turn into a rocket launching pad to terrorize Israel! 

They lost their homes, their farms, their businesses, everything all because the world thought that having a Jew-free Gaza would bring peace! 

 See who these people are and what they went through. 

Remember, Gaza had one of the oldest Jewish synagogues and famous Jewish Rabbis from the Mishna and Talmud lived in Gaza. 

Gaza was not and is not Arab land!

Watch the full movie "Home Game" to better understand.

Click here to watch the full movie online http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/home-game-movie 

How to kosher a kitchen for Pesach

Iron Dome technician saved by fellow soldier at last minute

(Photo: Avi Rokach)

The recent round of violence in the south meant that Ashdod residents had to deal with a number of Grad rocket explosions.
Now it has been revealed that the exceptional actions of two Iron Dome system operators successfully prevented the explosion of at least one rocket and that the life of one of the soldiers involved was saved thanks to the resourcefulness of his comrade in arms.
The IDF's Iron Dome operators received wall-to-wall praise in the recent escalation after they managed to intercept 85% of the rockets that the system tried to stop.
Ynet has learned that at the height of the system's activity last week, a technician successfully fixed a malfunction which enabled the system to intercept a rocket fired at Ashdod, while another operator extricated him from the area where the intercepting missiles are launched.
The technician, career officer Sergeant First Class Eli Zada, was sent early last week to fix a technical failure on the Iron Dome battery responsible for protecting the capital of the Negev. Moments after the he began to fix the faulty battery, a siren alerting that at least one Grad missile was making its way towards the city was sounded.
The technician didn't hesitate and instead of running for shelter remained in place to fix the problem, making sure the battery was battle-ready.
According to Air Force safety regulations, troops are not supposed to remain within dozens of meters of the Iron Dome battery when an intercepting missile is launched, due to the incredible heat levels and fire that it emits.
source

IDF soldiers...

Who isn't touched by this beautiful photo captured by Yossi Raz? 
Combat engineering troops get a fancy greeting from this little fellow after completing a treacherous trek for their well-earned gray berets.

The surreality of terrorist warfare

This Ongoing War: A Blog: 16-Mar-12: The surreality of terrorist warfare: 

The million-plus Israelis living in the southern part of the country had another unquiet night. Around 1:30 morning (Friday) , another Gazan...

Rockets are meant to kill

Since Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, terrorists have fired over 8,000 rockets into Israel. Over one million Israelis are currently under threat of rocket attacks.  
In 2011, 627 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israeli towns. That’s an even higher number than in 2010, when 566 rockets were fired:

 source IDF blog

Infiltration Attempt Prevented on the Israel – Egypt Border

Infiltration Attempt Prevented on the Israel – Egypt Border | Israel Defense Forces

Ceasefire' continues, as do rocket attacks

IDF blog

Despite an Egyptian-brokered ‘ceasefire’ announced earlier this week, terrorists continued to fire rockets at Israeli territory on Friday.

A Kassam rocket which was fired from Gaza at southern Israel on Friday afternoon landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council. There were no physical injuries or damage.

The terrorists took advantage of winter-like weather conditions in the area to cover up the fact that they were firing a rocket, according to a report on Channel 2 News.

A Kassam rocket was also fired from Gaza towards Israel overnight Thursday and exploded in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council.

At least five rockets and missiles were fired from Gaza into Israeli territory throughout the day on Thursday, including a Grad missile fired at Ashdod on Thursday evening. While the Iron Dome system successfully shot the missile out of the air before impact, the attack caused concern among local officials and led to the closure of schools across the south.

On Thursday, when schools were open, a rocket hit near a school in Ofakim. No children were wounded in the attack.

The latest terror onslaught from Gaza began last Friday. Terrorists fired more than 200 rockets at Israeli cities in four days.

Source Arutz Sheva

a little bit of music...

 

Gad Elbaz - Mi sheberah